NOTE: The policies, guidelines, terms, and conditions stated
in this announcement may differ from those used by the NIH. Where this
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) provides specific written guidance
that may differ from the general guidance provided in the grant application
form, please follow the instructions given in this FOA. Also note that AHRQ may
have different page limits than NIH for the application Research Strategy,
which can be found within each individual FOA.

May 18, 2016 - Advancing the Collection and Use of Patient-Reported Outcomes and Patient Contextual Data to Improve Quality and Outcomes in Ambulatory Care through Health Information Technology. See Notice NOT-HS-16-015.

This FOA encourages Small Research Grant (R03)
applications, and expresses AHRQ priority areas of interest for ongoing small
research projects. The R03 grant mechanism supports different types of health
services research projects including pilot and feasibility studies; secondary
analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects;
development of research methodology; and development of new research
technology.

Key Dates

Posted Date

March 19, 2015

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

May 16, 2015

Letter of Intent Due Date(s)

Not Applicable

Application Due Date(s)

Standard
dates apply, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate
time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the
submission process by the due date.

AIDS Application Due Date(s)

Not Applicable

Scientific Merit Review

Generally,
four months after receipt date

Advisory Council Review

Not
Applicable

Earliest Start Date

Generally, four months after peer review date

Expiration Date

July 17, 2018

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in
the SF424
(R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in
this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH
Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both
in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants
must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide,
follow the AHRQ Grants Policy and Guidance found on the AHRQ website at http://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/foaguidance/index.html,
and follow any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV of the FOA. When the
program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide,
follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not
comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Small research (R03) grants provide flexibility for
initiating studies which are generally for preliminary or short-term projects.
These grants are non-renewable. Some examples of the types of projects that
R03 research supports include:

Pilot or feasibility studies

Secondary analysis of existing data

Small, self-contained research projects

Development of research methodology

Development of new research technology

The AHRQ small grant is a mechanism for supporting discrete,
well-defined projects that realistically can be completed within two years (or
less) within the budget constraints of the mechanism. Because the research
strategy section of the application is limited to 6 pages, an R03 grant
application may not contain the same level of detail as that found in an R01
application. Accordingly, appropriate justification for the proposed work can
be provided through literature citations, data from other sources, or from
investigator-generated data. Preliminary data are not required, particularly in
applications proposing pilot or feasibility studies.

The Small Research Grant (R03) is an award made by AHRQ to
an institution/organization to support a discrete health services research
project. The R03 research strategy proposed by the applicant
institution/organization must be related to the mission and research interests
of AHRQ. Although the PD/PI writes the grant application and is responsible
for conducting and supervising the research, the actual applicant is the research
institution/organization.

AHRQ Mission and Research Areas of Interest:

The AHRQ mission is to produce evidence to make health care
safer, higher quality, more ac­cessible, equitable and affordable, and to work
with HHS and other partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and
used. Within this mission, AHRQ’s specific priority areas of focus are:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to address health
services research issues critical to AHRQ priority populations, including:
individuals living in inner city and rural (including frontier) areas;
low-income and minority groups; women, children, and the elderly; and
individuals with special health care needs, including those with disabilities
and those who need chronic or end-of-life health care.

Section II. Award Information

Funding Instrument

Grant

Application Types Allowed

New
Resubmission

The OER
Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on
these application types.

NOTE: Competing renewal applications will not be accepted
for the R03 grant mechanism. Small grant support may not be used for thesis
or dissertation research. Up to one resubmission of a previously reviewed
small grant application may be submitted.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

The number of awards is contingent upon AHRQ
appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious
applications.

Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will
vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and
duration of each award will also vary.

Award Budget

The budget limit on small project grant applications is
$100,000 total costs (i.e., direct costs plus Facilities and Administrative
(F&A) costs) for the entire project period, regardless of the length of
the proposed project period.

Applications requesting more than $100,000 in total costs for
the entire project period will not be reviewed.

Award Project Period

The scope of the proposed project should determine the
project period. The maximum project period for an application submitted
under this FOA is 2 years.

These projects are authorized by 42 U.S.C. 299a, which
provides that AHRQ shall conduct and support research, support demonstration
projects, and disseminate information on health care and on systems for the
delivery of such care, including activities with respect to the quality, effectiveness,
efficiency, appropriateness, and value of health care services.

You may submit an application(s) if your
institution/organization is a (an):

Public or non-profit private institution, such as a university,
college, or a faith-based or community-based organization;

Unit of local or State government;

Eligible agency of the Federal government.

Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally recognized)

Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally
recognized);

Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization.

AHRQ’s authorizing legislation does not allow for-profit
organizations to be eligible to lead applications under this research
mechanism. For-profit organizations may participate in projects as members of
consortia or as subcontractors only. Because the purpose of this program is to
improve healthcare in the United States, foreign institutions may participate
in projects as members of consortia or as subcontractors only.
Applications submitted by for-profit organizations or foreign institutions will
not be reviewed. Organizations described in section 501(c) 4 of the
Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying are not eligible.

HHS grants policy requires that the grant recipient perform
a substantive role in the conduct of the planned project or program activity
and not merely serve as a conduit of funds to another party or parties. If
consortium/contractual activities represent a significant portion of the
overall project, the applicant must justify why the applicant organization,
rather than the party(s) performing this portion of the overall project, should
be the grantee and what substantive role the applicant organization will play.
Justification can be provided in the Specific Aims or Research Strategy section
of the PHS398 Research Plan Component sections of the SF424 (R&R)
application. There is no budget allocation guideline for determining
substantial involvement; determination of substantial involvement is based on a
review of the primary project activities for which grant support is provided
and the organization(s) that will be performing those activities.

Foreign Institutions

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are
not eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible
to apply.

Required
Registrations

Applicant
Organizations

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the
following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide
to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be
completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6
weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as
possible. The NIH
Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to
complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a
late submission.

Dun and Bradstreet
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All registrations require that
applicants be issued a DUNS number. After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants
can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be
used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.

System for Award Management (SAM) (formerly CCR) – Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least
annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the
initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial
and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not
already been assigned a CAGE Code.

eRA Commons - Applicants
must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the
eRA Commons registration. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as
they are working through their SAM or Grants.gov registration. eRA Commons
requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at
least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to
submit an application.

Grants.gov – Applicants
must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the
Grants.gov registration.

Program
Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI)

The PD/PI must have an eRA Commons account. The PD/PI
should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account
or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA
Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, he/she must
have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA
Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal
Investigator)

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources
necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director/Principal
Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an
application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic
groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply
for AHRQ support.

Only one PD/PI may be designated on the application.

2. Cost Sharing

This FOA does not require cost sharing.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application,
provided that each application is scientifically distinct.

AHRQ will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping
applications under review at the same time. This means that AHRQ will not
accept:

A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the
summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission
(A1) application.

A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance
of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.

An application that has substantial overlap with another
application pending appeal of initial peer review (see NOT-OD-11-101).

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an
Application Package

Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R) application
package associated with this funding opportunity using the “Apply for Grant
Electronically” button in this FOA or following the directions provided at Grants.gov.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in
the SF424
(R&R) Application Guide, including Supplemental
Grant Application Instructions except where instructed in this funding
opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in
the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are
out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for
review.

All page limitations described in the SF424 Application
Guide and the Table of
Page Limits must be followed.

Instructions for Application Submission

The following section supplements the instructions found in
the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and should be used for preparing an
application to this FOA.

SF424(R&R) Cover

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide
must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide
must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Other Project Information

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide
must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide
must be followed.

R&R or Modular Budget

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide
must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

Budget
Component: Special Instructions for AHRQ applications

AHRQ is not using the Modular Grant Application and Award Process. Applicants for funding
from AHRQ are to ignore application instructions concerning the Modular Grant
Application and Award Process, and prepare applications using instructions for
the Research and Related Budget Components of the SF 424 (R&R).
Applications submitted in the Modular format will not be reviewed.

PHS 398 Research Plan

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide that are not otherwise specified
within this Funding Opportunity Announcement must be followed,
with the following additional instructions:

Appendix:
Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all
instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application
Guide.

3. Submission Dates and
Times

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications
before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application
corrections that might be necessary for successful submission.

Organizations must submit applications to Grants.gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants
across all Federal agencies). Applicants must then complete the submission
process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants
administration. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many
of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a
changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application
due date. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline,
the application will be considered late.

Applicants
are responsible for viewing their application before the due date in the eRA
Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of
on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

For efficient grant administration, AHRQ grant
administration procedures will be used and conducted in accordance with the
terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in
the HHS Grants Policy Statement. The Grants Policy Statement can be found at http://www.ahrq.gov/funding/grants/policies/hhspolicy.html.

Pre-award costs are allowable. A grantee may, at its own
risk and without AHRQ prior approval, incur obligations and expenditures to
cover costs up to 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget
period of a new award if such costs are necessary to conduct the project and
would be allowable under the grant, if awarded, without AHRQ prior approval. If
specific expenditures would otherwise require prior approval, the grantee must
obtain AHRQ approval before incurring the cost. AHRQ prior approval is required
for any costs to be incurred more than 90 days before the beginning date of the
initial budget period of a new award.

The incurrence of pre-award costs in anticipation of a
competing or non-competing award imposes no obligation on AHRQ either to make
the award or to increase the amount of the approved budget if an award is made
for less than the amount anticipated and is inadequate to cover the pre-award
costs incurred. AHRQ expects the grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs
result in borrowing against future support and that such borrowing must not
impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the project objectives in the
approved time frame or in any way adversely affect the conduct of the project.

6. Other Submission Requirements
and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the
instructions described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

The PD/PI must include the eRA Commons ID in the
Credential fieldof the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the
SF424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons
and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent
the successful submission of an electronic application to AHRQ. See Section III of this FOA for information on
registration requirements.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS
number it provides on the application is the same number used in the
organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management.
Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for
completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH, and for responsiveness
by AHRQ. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant, or non-responsive
will not be reviewed.

In order to expedite the review, applicants are requested to
notify the AHRQ Referral Office by email Gerald.Calderone@ahrq.hhs.gov when the application has been submitted. Please include the FOA number and
title, PD/PI name, and title of the application.

Although there is no immediate acknowledgement of the
receipt of an application, applicants are generally notified of the review and
funding assignment within eight (8) weeks.

Priority Populations

AHRQ supports research, evaluations, and demonstration
projects concerning the delivery of health care in inner-city and rural areas
(including frontier areas), and health care for priority populations. Priority
populations include low income groups; minority groups; women; children; the
elderly; and individuals with special health care needs, including individuals
with disabilities and individuals who need chronic care or end-of-life health
care. 42 USC 299(c). Women and members of minority groups are included in all
AHRQ-supported research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and
compelling rationale and justification is provided that inclusion is inappropriate,
e.g. because of the lack of connection between the study and the health of
women or particular minorities. Investigators should review the document
entitled, “AHRQ Policy on the Inclusion of Priority Populations,” which is
available https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HS-03-010.html.
Applicants under this FOA should consider and discuss including priority
populations in the research design as specified in this Notice.

Plan for Sharing Research Data

The precise content of the data-sharing plan will vary,
depending on the data being collected and how the investigator is planning to
share the data. Applicants who are planning to share data may wish to describe
briefly the expected schedule for data sharing; the format of the final
dataset; the documentation to be provided; whether or not any analytic tools
also will be provided; whether or not a data-sharing agreement will be required
and, if so, a brief description of such an agreement (including the criteria
for deciding who can receive the data and whether or not any conditions will be
placed on their use); and the mode of data sharing (e.g., under its own
auspices by mailing a disk or posting data on its institutional or personal
website or through a data archive or enclave). Investigators choosing to share
under their own auspices may wish to enter into a data-sharing agreement.
References to data sharing may also be appropriate in other sections of the
application.

The reasonableness of the data sharing plan or the rationale
for not sharing research data will be assessed by the reviewers. However,
reviewers will not factor the proposed data sharing plan into the determination
of scientific merit or the priority score.

Data Confidentiality

The AHRQ confidentiality statute, 42 USC 299c-3(c), requires
that information that is obtained in the course of AHRQ supported activities
and that identifies individuals or establishments be used only for the purpose
for which it was supplied. Information that is obtained in the course of
AHRQ-supported activities and that identifies an individual may be published or
released only with the consent of the individual who supplied the information
or is described in it. There are civil monetary penalties for violation of the
confidentiality provision of the AHRQ statute. 42 USC 299c-3(d). In the Human
Subjects section of the application, applicants must describe procedures for
ensuring the confidentiality of the identifying information to be collected.
The description of the procedures should include a discussion of who will be
permitted access to this information, both raw data and machine readable files,
and how personal identifiers and other identifying or identifiable data will be
restricted and safeguarded. Identifiable patient health information collected
by grantees under this FOA will also be obtained and managed in accordance with
the HIPAA Privacy Rule, 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164.

The grantee should ensure that computer systems containing
confidential data have a level and scope of security that equals or exceeds
that established by the HIPAA Security Rules, if applicable, and that
established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in OMB Circular No.
A-130, Appendix III - Security of Federal Automated Information Systems. The
applicability and intended means of applying these confidentiality and security
standards to subcontractors and vendors, if any, should be addressed in the
application.

Sharing Research Resources: Rights in Data

Unless otherwise provided in grant awards, AHRQ grantees may
copyright, or seek patents for, as appropriate, final and interim products and
materials developed in whole or in part with AHRQ support, including, but not
limited to, methodological tools, measures, software with documentation,
literature searches, and analyses. Such copyrights and patents are subject to
a royalty-free, non-exclusive, and irrevocable AHRQ license to reproduce,
publish, use or disseminate for any purpose consistent with AHRQ’s statutory
responsibilities and to authorize others to do so for any purpose consistent
with AHRQ’s statutory responsibilities. In accordance with its legislative
dissemination mandate, AHRQ purposes may include, subject to statutory
confidentiality protections, making project materials, databases, results, and
algorithms available for verification or replication by other researchers. In
addition, subject to AHRQ budget constraints, final products may be made available
to the health care community and the public by AHRQ or its agents if such
distribution would significantly increase access to a product and thereby
produce substantial or valuable public health benefits. Ordinarily, to
accomplish distribution, AHRQ publicizes research findings but relies on
grantees to publish research results in peer-reviewed journals and to market
grant-supported products. AHRQ's Office of Communications and Knowledge
Transfer (OCKT) wishes to be consulted in advance of publication in order to
coordinate announcements of new AHRQ-supported research results with other AHRQ
dissemination activities. Important legal rights and requirements applicable
to AHRQ grantees are set out or referenced in the Uniform Grant Guidance (available
in libraries and on the website of the Office of the Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/12/26/2013-30465/uniform-administrative-requirements-cost-principles-and-audit-requirements-for-federal-awards).

Important Update: See
NOT-OD-16-006 and NOT-OD-16-011 for updated review language for applications for due dates on or after January 25, 2016.

1. Criteria

The mission of AHRQ is to produce evidence to make health
care safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable, and to
work with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other
partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used.

As part of this mission, applications submitted to AHRQ to
support health services research are evaluated for scientific and technical
merit through the AHRQ peer review system.

Applications that are complete and responsive to the FOA
will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer
review group convened in accordance with standard AHRQ peer review procedures
that are described in 42 CFR Part 67, Subpart A. Incomplete and/or
non-responsive applications or applications not following instructions given in
this FOA will not be reviewed. Only the review criteria described below
will be considered in the review process.

Administrative Criteria: Upon receipt, applications will be
evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH, and for
responsiveness by AHRQ.

Merit Review Criteria: Merit Review Criteria, as described
below, will be considered in the review process.

For this particular announcement, note the following:

The R03 small grant supports discrete, well-defined projects
that realistically can be completed in two years (or less) within the budget
constraints of the mechanism. Because the research strategy section of the
application is limited to 6 pages, an R03 grant application may not contain the
same level of detail or extensive discussion as that found in an R01
application. Accordingly, reviewers should evaluate the conceptual framework
and general approach to the problem. Appropriate justification for the
proposed work can be provided through literature citations, data from other
sources, or from investigator-generated data. Preliminary data are not
required, particularly in applications proposing pilot or feasibility studies.

Overall Impact

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect
their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained,
powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the
following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the
project proposed).

Scored Review Criteria

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in
the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An
application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to
have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not
innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Significance

Does this study address an
important scientific area or critical barrier to progress in the field of
health services research? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will
scientific knowledge or clinical practice be advanced? What will be the effect
of this study on the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or
preventative interventions that drive health services research?

Investigator(s)

Are the PD/PI, collaborators, and
other researchers appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work?
Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the PD/PI and
other researchers? Does the investigative team bring complementary and
integrated expertise to the project (if applicable)?

Innovation

Is the project original and
innovative? For example: Does the project challenge current research and seek
to shift existing research or clinical practice paradigms; address an
innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to progress in the field of health
services research? Does the project develop or employ novel concepts,
approaches, methodologies, interventions, tools, or technologies for the
proposed area of study?

Approach

Are the overall strategy,
methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the
specific aims of the project? Are potential problems, alternative strategies,
and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of
development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will any particularly
risky aspects be managed?

Environment

Will the scientific environment in
which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the
institutional support, equipment, and other physical resources available to the
investigators adequate for the proposed project? Will the project benefit from
unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations,
collaborative arrangements?

Additional Review Criteria

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will
evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and
technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give
separate scores for these items.

Protections for Human Subjects

For research that involves human
subjects but does not involve one of the six categories of research that are
exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for
involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk
relating to their participation according to the following five review
criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3)
potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge
to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.

For research that involves human
subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of
research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1)
the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and
characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on
review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Human
Subjects.

Inclusion of Priority
Populations

Reviewers will assess the adequacy of plans to
address the needs of both genders, racial and ethnic minorities (and
subgroups). Reviewers will assess the adequacy of attention to AHRQ
priority populations (see above discussion on Priority Populations in section
IV.6 “Other Submission Requirements”).

Budget and Period of Support

The committee will evaluate whether the proposed
budget is reasonable and whether the requested period of support is appropriate
in relation to the proposed research. [].

Resubmissions

For Resubmissions, the committee
will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the
responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes
made to the project.

Renewals

Not Applicable

Additional Review Considerations

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will
consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items,
and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.

Not Applicable

2. Review and Selection
Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical
merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group in accordance with AHRQ
review policy and procedures, using the stated review
criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA
Commons.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

May undergo a selection process in which only those applications
deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top
half of applications under review) will be discussed and assigned an overall impact
score.

Will receive a written critique.

Applications will be assigned on the basis of AHRQ referral
guidelines to the appropriate AHRQ Office or Center. Applications will compete
for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in
response to this FOA. The following will be considered in making funding
decisions:

Scientific and technical merit of the proposed
project as determined by peer review.

Availability of funds.

Responsiveness to goals and objectives of the
FOA.

Relevance and fit within AHRQ research
priorities, as well as overall programmatic balance.

3. Anticipated Announcement
and Award Dates

After the peer review of the application is completed, the
PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique)
via the eRA
Commons.

If the application is under consideration for funding, AHRQ
will request "Just-In-Time" information from the applicant.
Just-In-Time information generally consists of information on other support,
any additional information necessary to address administrative and budgetary issues,
and certification of IRB approval of the project's proposed use of human
subjects. For details regarding IRB approval, applicants may refer to the
"AHRQ Revised Policy for Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review of Human
Subjects Protocols in Grant Applications" (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-hs-00-003.html).

Once all administrative and programmatic issues have been resolved, a formal
notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the
applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the AHRQ grants
management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to
the grantee’s business official.

Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin
performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NOA are at the
recipient’s risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered
allowable pre-award costs. See also Section IV.5.,
“Funding Restrictions.”

A standard term and condition of award will be included in
the final Notice of Award (NOA) that states: “in any grant-related activity in
which family, marital, or household consideration are, by statute or
regulation, relevant for purposes of determining beneficiary eligibility or
participation, grantees must treat same-sex spouses, marriages, and households
on the same terms as opposite-sex spouses, marriages, and households,
respectively. By “same-sex spouses,” HHS means individuals of the same sex who
have entered into marriages that are valid in the jurisdiction where performed,
including any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory
or in a foreign country, regardless of whether or not the couple resides in a
jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex marriage. By “same-sex marriages,” HHS
means marriages between two individuals validly entered into in the
jurisdiction where performed, including any of the 50 states, the District of
Columbia, or a U.S. territory or in a foreign country, regardless of whether or
not the couple resides in a jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex marriage. By
“marriage,” HHS does not mean registered domestic partnerships, civil unions or
similar formal relationships recognized under the law of the jurisdiction of
celebration as something other than a marriage.”

A standard term and condition of award will be included in
the Notice of Award (NOA); all applicants will be subject to a term and
condition that applies the terms of 48 CFR section 3.908 to the award, and
requires that grantees inform their employees in writing of employee
whistleblower rights and protections under 41U.S.C. 4712 in the predominant
native language of the workforce.

As necessary, additional Terms and Conditions will be
incorporated into the NoA.

3. Reporting

When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required
to submit the Research
Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually unless specified otherwise in
the terms of the award. Grantees are required to submit expenditure data on
the Federal Financial Report (FFR; SF 425) annually.

For details regarding progress report submission, refer to http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/noncomp.htm.
If instructions on the AHRQ website are different from the RPPR Instructions,
follow the instructions on the AHRQ website. Progress reports are due 3 months
before the anniversary of the award. In addition to the annual progress report,
recipients may be required to submit quarterly progress reports to AHRQ. If
applicable, detailed instructions on additional reporting requirements will be
provided with the grant award.

Expenditure data is to be reported on the Federal Financial
Report (FFR; SF 425). AHRQ requires annual financial expenditure reports for
ALL grant programs as described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement (http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/hhspolicy.htm).
AHRQ implementation of the FFR retains a financial reporting period that
coincides with the budget period of a particular project. However, the due
date for annual FFRs is 90 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which
the budget period ends. For example, if the budget period ends 4/30/2015, the
annual FFR is due 9/30/2015 (90 days after the end of the calendar quarter of
6/30/2015).

A final Progress Report, final Federal Financial Report, and
Final Invention Statement are required when an award ends. All final reports
are due within 90 days of the project period end date. For further details
regarding grant closeout requirements, refer to http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/closeout.htm.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of
2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants
to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation
under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees
of applicable AHRQ grants and cooperative agreements are required to
report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the HHS Grants Policy Statement (http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/hhspolicy.htm)
for additional information on this reporting requirement.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity
and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

Recently issued AHRQ policy notices may affect your
application submission. A full list of policy notices published by AHRQ is
provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts.
Notices can also be found at AHRQ Grants Policy Notices.
All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other
considerations described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

Authority and Regulations

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not subject to the
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health
Systems Agency review. Awards are made under the authority of 42 USC 299 et
seq., and in accordance with the OMB Uniform Grant Guidance and other
referenced applicable statutes and regulations. All awards are subject to
the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described
in the HHS Grants Policy Statement. The HHS Grants Policy Statement can be
found at http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/hhspolicy.htm.